Jim Higgins (Fine Gael)

As has been pointed out forcibly and articulately by my colleague, Senator Feighan, whom I commend on bringing this timely and opportune motion before the House, the twin scourges of modern society in Ireland are alcohol and drugs. The report on the European survey, which I have read in detail, is excellent in its critical analysis and its recommendations. There have been numerous reports, including two ministerial reports, but the situation is getting progressively worse.

Look at the figures for possession offences. In 1996, there were 355 possession of cannabis offences; in 1999, that number trebled to 904. The figures for possession of cannabis resin were 1,441 in 1996 and 3,281 for 1999; for heroin the figures were 432 in 1996 and they rose to 887 in 1999. In 1996 there were 340 seizures of ecstasy and in 1999, there were 1,223, another trebling of the figure. There is a huge market and it is growing all the time. There have been 18 gangland killings, each of which, including the murder of a 24 year old on waste ground at the back of a pub in Mulhuddart last night, is directly related to drugs.

The quantities of drugs seized are frightening. In 1996, 2.4 kg of cannabis were seized; in 1999 the quantity was 66 kg. In the case of cannabis resin, the respective figures were 1,993 kg and 2,511. In the case of ecstasy, 19,000 tablets were seized in 1996; in 1999, a massive 229,191 tablets were seized. Our prisons are infested with drugs. If somebody who is not a drug addict is sent to prison, they generally emerge as an addict. There is no proper treatment centre or accommodation. There is no policy to clean out the prisons. Nobody should be let out of prison unless they are clean from drugs.

Look at the number of deaths that have occurred. It is frightening. I commend the drugs squad on doing an excellent job but it is not being given sufficient manpower or monetary resources. I love to hear on "Morning Ireland" that there has been another massive seizure of drugs but the drugs squad cannot continue to operate with its hands tied.

An excellent suggestion was made by our spokesman in the Dáil, Deputy O'Dowd, but the Minister of State did not address it tonight. The Government will not accept it. Deputy O'Dowd suggested that the period within which the money that is seized under the Criminal Assets Bureau legislation can be made available should be shortened from seven to three years. Second, all that money, €44 million per annum, should be spent on drug treatment.

We are losing the battle. I am not critical of the Government for that, although I am critical of it in terms of resources and the number of gardaí. We must tackle and beat the drug barons and the pushers. Above all, we must be effective in providing treatment. Drug problems thrive in areas of social deprivation and, as Senator Ormonde pointed out, that is the root problem. Those areas must be tackled but we are not doing so effectively at present.